At Fang Yao’s threat to gather her things and return home, every wrinkle on Old Madam Xu’s face trembled. If she leaves, she thought, the betrothal gifts will surely be lost forever money gone, wasted for nothing. And Qingzhou? He will have lost a wife entirely.
At once, she waved her hand sharply and commanded Wang Hua beside her. “Go summon Manjiang and his family here at once. Tell them they must make compensation!”
Wang Hua, too, feared Fang Yao might leave without warning, and hurried next door.
Moments later, Wang Cuilian entered, followed by Xu Manjiang and Xu Jianshu’s family of three.
Wang Cuilian strode in, slapped her thighs, and sank onto the floor as though she were the victim. “Li Xuemiao was hounded nearly to death by your words yesterday! Even now she lies senseless in our home. The doctor says she may well be simple-minded for the rest of her life and the burden will fall upon us! Fang Yao you beat Manjiang black and blue last night. Must you seize upon this one mistake and hound our whole family to ruin? We have no money to give. If you must have something take my life instead!”
Fang Yao had seen such shameless theatrics from Wang Cuilian in her past life. At root, it was nothing more than a tactic: to gain the greatest advantage at the least cost.
To yield even an inch to such people was only to invite further encroachment.
She gave a cold snort and stepped to stand beside Old Madam Xu. “When our families first spoke of this marriage, we insisted again and again that Xu Qingzhou and I should be paired not your son. It was your household that insisted otherwise, and so Xu Manjiang mistook his bride. The fault lies entirely with you. If you truly wish to make amends, then offer us real silver and coin. Do not think to fob us off with your worthless life no one here wants it!”
“You !” Wang Cuilian flushed crimson to the ears. She turned at once to Wang Hua, seeking to sow discord. “Sister-in-law listen to how she speaks! Manjiang has erred, yes but are we not all one family? Must we air every grievance within these walls? Will you suffer this shrew to run wild in our home? If she behaves so boldly before she has even truly joined us, what will she do once she is settled climb atop Qingzhou’s head and shame him? With Qingzhou’s prospects, what woman could he not have? Why must we endure this gold-grubbing girl!”
Wang Cuilian’s scheme was clear: if she could drive Fang Yao away, then even should compensation still be due, she might persuade Wang Hua later to waive Xu Qingzhou’s share entirely.
What she did not know was this: when Wang Hua had first sought a bride for Xu Qingzhou, it had been Xu Qingzhou himself who refused. Only when pressed relentlessly by his mother had he finally consented to marry Li Xuemiao.
When Li Xuemiao was sent to the wrong chamber last night, Wang Hua had feared Xu Qingzhou would seize the excuse to withdraw entirely. Only when he had stepped forward and offered to marry Fang Yao had her heart known peace once more. If Wang Cuilian drove Fang Yao away now, all would be lost again!
And so Wang Hua usually generous and easygoing spoke up firmly against her sister-in-law. “Enough of these empty words. One who commits a crime must answer before the law. Since Manjiang has committed a wrong, he must bear its consequences. Even though we are kin, this grievance ought not be borne in silence.”
“Exactly!” Old Madam Xu added sharply. “I did not summon you to cloud the matter. The bride promised to Qingzhou has been taken by your Manjiang and Fang Yao’s good name has been dragged through the mud as a result. Compensation is owed!”
Seeing the whole household ranged against her, Wang Cuilian buried her face in her hands and wept loudly. “You would drive me to my grave…”
Xu Jianshu stepped forward, half-minded to reason with Fang Yao but held back. She was a woman, and a younger relative; to argue with her would shame him. He stood stiffly aside instead.
Xu Manjiang had not taken his eyes off Fang Yao since entering. His face, bruised and swollen from last night’s beating, was a patchwork of purple and red puffed up like an undercooked pig’s head.
He walked to his mother’s side and helped her rise from the floor. Then he turned upon Fang Yao, his voice thick with indignation.
“Fang Yao do not act the innocent when you have gotten exactly what you wanted! If you possess a shred of pride, then take your bundle and go! Why linger here, clinging to my elder cousin? We all know the truth you covet his prospects. Pray tell had I agreed to marry you, would you even have been permitted to step through our gates? What pretense is this!”
Fang Yao looked upon his insolent, sneering face and longed more than ever to strike him to strike him until his mouth could utter no more such words.
She restrained herself. To strike him would only pain her own hands and it was not worth it.
“And this is how one at fault speaks?” she said coldly. “It seems last night’s lesson has taught you nothing. Very well my terms have changed. Two thousand silver. Not a single coin less. If you refuse, I shall go to the county seat and report this matter to the authorities. Let them come and judge whose fault it truly is!”
Fang Yao turned and made as though to leave. In truth, she was entirely certain none of them would let her pass beyond the gate.
Old Madam Xu had lived her life proud and concerned above all with appearances. She would never suffer such a family scandal to spread to the county authorities. And Wang Cuilian for all her wild thrashing and wailing would shrink in terror at the thought of real consequences. Especially where her precious son was concerned ruin him, and you might as well take half her life!
Sure enough, before Fang Yao had reached the door, Old Madam Xu hurried over and caught her by the arm.
“Fang Yao dear child do not go! Today, I shall see justice done!”
Old Madam Xu turned, raised her cane, and brought it down hard upon Xu Manjiang. The veins in her neck bulged with rage. “You alone brought this shame upon us! We labor to repair the ruin you have made and still you dare speak such ungrateful words? Must you be dragged away in chains before you learn humility? I shall beat the decency into you, unworthy wretch!”
Four or five strokes fell in quick succession. Xu Manjiang gritted his teeth and endured the beating without striking back only his eyes, dead and glassy, glared hatred at Fang Yao.
Wang Cuilian watched, her heart aching, yet her fear of seeing her son imprisoned outweighed all else. At last she yielded.
“Mother strike him no more! We shall pay. We shall give her the compensation!”
“Would that you had said so sooner!” Old Madam Xu lowered the cane, breathless and exhausted, and sank upon the edge of the bed.
Wang Cuilian wiped away her tears. Her gaze upon Fang Yao remained hostile, yet her arrogance had deserted her.
“Fang Yao if you marry Qingzhou, then you are one of us. You will call me Second Aunt. We shall live side by side, day after day. Must you truly push us to the brink? We cannot produce two thousand. If you will accept one thousand I shall give it to you now.”
Fang Yao’s lips curled faintly. She took two steps back toward the room. She knew Wang Cuilian well enough: once enmity had taken root, there could be no harmony hereafter.
If division must come then let it come now, and be done with it.
“Second Aunt at the first, I left you room to settle this fairly. It was your household that pressed for more, until I had no choice but to speak plainly. Now that the cane falls upon you, you remember kinship and beg for mercy? Very well let this be a lesson to you. Two thousand coins. If even one copper is missing this matter is far from over.”
“Fang Yao you would extort us!” Xu Manjiang cried out, his bruises scarcely healed before he began railing once more.
Old Madam Xu was quicker still. She raised her cane and struck him again. “Silence!”
Xu Manjiang fell silent, his face dark with resentment. He cursed inwardly: how had he ever looked upon Fang Yao and seen a meek, modest girl? Who would have guessed she could not only strike a man but possess such unyielding ferocity!
Fang Yao cared not at all what he thought of her. Today her purpose was clear: to break their arrogance utterly.
She disdained trickery and deceit but against such as these, one must repay measure for measure. Her eyes narrowed shrewdly, and she let fall a short, sharp laugh of contempt.
“Extortion? Yes precisely so! From today, you would do well to walk wide of me. Lest one day I strip your household bare down to your very last undergarment!”